Blazers athletic director Mark Ingram said Friday that Clark has agreed in principle to a new five-year deal. Clark's pay would start at $1.45 million and rise to $1.65 million in the final year, 2023-24.

The contract is pending approval by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.

Clark has led the Blazers into the Conference USA championship game Saturday at Middle Tennessee. UAB is 17-8 since restarting the program after it was shut down for financial reasons, including a school-record nine wins so far this season.

Ron Gray, president pro tem of the trustees, says the board's compensation committee will hold a special meeting "in the coming weeks" to formally review the deal.

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